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As in many cities, utilitarian cycling is part of Toronto's climate strategy. For this tactic to work, cycling must occur throughout the city, yet despite most of the city's suitable short trips (60%) occurring in the suburbs, suburban residents cycle far less for transport than downtown residents where most cycling infrastructure is found. Nonetheless, some people in suburban areas cycle for transport, but little research focuses on suburban cycling. This has important implications for health, climate and equity. We used generalized structural equation modeling to analyze data from a survey of factors influencing utilitarian and recreational cycling among residents of a lower-income auto-oriented suburb lacking utilitarian cycling infrastructure (n = 215). Principal component analysis was used to develop latent attitudinal variables. The strongest predictors of utilitarian cycling were the frequency of recreational cycling, bike ownership, knowing people who bike, being male, and owning fewer cars. The strongest predictors of recreational cycling were bicycle ownership, knowing people who bike, knowing where to access repairs, and having attitudes strongly related to health and safety. Utilitarian cycling did not influence the frequency of recreational cycling. None of the latent attitudinal variables influenced utilitarian cycling. However, respondents scoring high in the expense and theft variable were more likely to live in lower income households. Those in higher income households scored higher on the health and safety variable. Results suggest group rides, access to bicycles and repairs, and ways to meet people who bike may be useful interventions to increase utilitarian cycling in suburban communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of North Americans stopped riding public transit in response to COVID-19. We treat this crisis as a natural experiment to illustrate the importance of public transit in riders' abilities to access essential destinations. We measured the impacts of riders forgoing transit through a survey of transportation barriers completed by more than 4,000 transit riders in Toronto and Vancouver (Canada). We used Heckman selection models to predict six dimensions of transport disadvantage and transport-related social exclusions captured in our survey. We then complemented model results with an analysis of survey comments describing barriers that individuals faced. Lack of access to alternative modes is the strongest predictor of a former rider experiencing transport disadvantage, particularly neighborhood walkability and vehicle ownership. Groups at risk of transport disadvantage before COVID-19, particularly women and people in poorer health, were also more likely to report difficulties while avoiding public transit. Barriers described by respondents included former supports no longer offering rides, gendered household car use dynamics, and lack of culturally specific or specialized amenities within walking distance. Policymakers should plan for a level of redundancy in transportation systems that enables residents to access essential destinations when unexpected service losses occur. Designing communities that enable residents to walk to those essential destinations will help reduce the burdens faced by transit riders during crises that render transit unfeasible. At the same time, planners championing active travel as an alternative to transit during such crises also need to devise solutions for former transit riders for whom active travel is ill suited, for example, due to physical challenges with carrying groceries or needing to chaperone children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) wastewater treatments used by most coal-fired power plants have difficulty in realizing completely zero emission. An atomizing and crystallization treatment of desulfurization wastewater using high-temperature gas from SCR (selective catalytic reduction) denitrification reactors was proposed. Using ANSYS software, 3D modeling of a crystallization tower and a numerical simulation of evaporation were conducted, and the crystallization process of wastewater droplets was studied. Based on the results of the simulation, effects of four main factors on evaporation efficiency were analyzed. The results indicate that droplet group with the same initial diameter of 10 μm can evaporate entirely within a time of 0.6 s and a height of 2.4 m when the mass flow rate of 620 K flue gas increases to 2.1 kg/s. In a practical process, fluctuations in the temperature and humidity should be avoided to guarantee complete evaporation. The results provide data support for technology design of crystallization towers applied in power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]